Sony: "No clear competitor to NGP"

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 2 June, 2011

Nintendo 3DS an "updated DS".

Sony doesn't see any clear competitor for its PlayStation Portable successor, codenamed the Next Generation Portable.

Why? Because it's so unique.

"There's no one clear competitor in terms of what NGP offers," Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide studios, told Eurogamer in an interview.

"NGP's going to establish itself as the unique thing that people want to have. NGP cannot be placed against smartphones. You can't make phone calls on it and it's too big to fit into your pocket."

NGP, rumoured to be officially called the PS Vita, features dual analog sticks and a five inch OLED touchscreen.

Some commentators have suggested it's set to go head-to-head with Nintendo's 3DS when it launches later this year, but Sony doesn't see it that way.

"Compared to 3DS, it was very interesting – when we were designing the NGP we had no idea what Nintendo was going to do," Yoshida revealed.

"Aside from the 3D stereoscopic display, they seem to be keeping the same theme that they had with the DS – it feels like an update of the DS to me.

"Lots of choices we made were so different from their choices. It's kind of hard to compare the two, aside from the fact that both of them are dedicated gaming platforms."

But Yoshida said Sony and Nintendo had a common enemy: the cheap mobile game.

"We are dealing with the same issue that Nintendo is. It's up to content publishers, including ourselves, to show people that this is worth £25 or £30 as opposed to 59p.

"You cannot release the same content that you put on the iPhone for a dollar on to NGP or some other consoles and expect people to pay 20 times that."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (51) Latest comment 12 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BonzoBanana #1 12 months ago

    Whether Sony likes it or not its in competition with the 3DS commercially but in specification the NGP is many times more powerful but that doesn't mean it wins. Nintendo's pockets are full of cash and Sony's are empty so Nintendo can certainly make a better fight of it if they have to.

  • Bernkastel #2 12 months ago

    Aside from the 3D stereoscopic display, they seem to be keeping the same theme that they had with the DS – it feels like an update of the DS to me.

    That sounds awfully familiar.

  • TonyHarrison #3 12 months ago

    '360 just an update of Xbox'
    'PS3 just an update of PS2'
    'Wii just an update of GC'
    'NGP just an update of PSP'

    Funny how that works with all of them...

    This reminds me of Sony from 2004. I thought they'd learned a lesson, but obviously not.

  • gooner77 #4 12 months ago

    So the NPG is the NGP ?

  • Dizzy #5 12 months ago

    No clear market either.

  • CaptainKid #6 12 months ago

    Need more ads. I'm still able to read some of the article.

  • CloisterBlack #7 12 months ago

    "You cannot release the same content that you put on the iPhone for a dollar on to NGP or some other consoles and expect people to pay 20 times that."

    coughAngryBirdscough!
    (not exactly 20 times, but you get the point)

    EDIT: oh, and people complaining about ads, there is a little thing called AdBlock Plus, which is around for quite some time now.
    If you are browsing using Firefox or Chrome, try it, it works miracles.
    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=adblock+plus
    Edited by CloisterBlack at 02/06/11 @ 17:34

  • telboy007 #8 12 months ago

    Sigh, we've already been here before when the PSP and DS were going head to head. Zzzzzzz.....

  • HEAVYface #9 12 months ago

    tonyharrison is right. read his comment! the arse headed freak.

  • coolbritannia #10 12 months ago

    Sony predicts why NGP will bomb: "You can't make phone calls on it and it's too big to fit into your pocket"

  • deez #11 12 months ago

    "You can't make phone calls on it and it's too big to fit into your pocket."

    Bizarre way to differentiate your product from others, telling us what yours can't do..

    "to show people that this is worth £25 or £30"

    But what about the 35 quid plus that your games are certain to release for?

  • Anciegher #12 12 months ago

    Seeing how 3DS is currently failing, I think they have a real chance of being on top this time. However, mobile phones will probably wipe both sony and nintendo to the floor when it comes to units sold.

  • RodHull #13 12 months ago

    Oh good, more Sony arrogance. It certainly went down well in 2006, I'm sure it'll be well received in 2011.

    UK:Resistance: I expect your return.

  • Widge #14 12 months ago

    Having a stab that the market might be: gamers.

  • Widge #15 12 months ago

    Awaiting humble Microsoft press release where they state new products are shitter than the competition. Bad arrogance.

  • IonOnion #16 12 months ago

    Sony really should hire OTHER people to do thier interviews for them. They never learn.

  • Dizzy #17 12 months ago

    >Having a stab that the market might be: gamers.

    Didn't work for PSP.

  • spazmo #18 12 months ago

    I remember when the Wii was not a competitor.

  • Toothball #19 12 months ago

    Of course the NGP will be competing with the 3DS by virtue of the fact that people might buy one instead of the other. Only weirdos like me will end up with both.

  • chessboxer #20 12 months ago

    So...

    People complain that Sony are arrogant when they talk about their products.

    People complain when Sony don't advertise their products or make certain features known to the general public.

    Seems like every article is another opportunity for some to bash Sony.

  • zedzee #21 12 months ago

    "It's up to content publishers, including ourselves, to show people that this is worth £25 or £30 as opposed to 59p."

    But why?! Your damn hand-held runs Android - HELLLLOOO?! That means you can compete in the existing Android Marketplace as well, if you don't get greedy and lock its firmware and OS down.

    Of course the NGP is unique - that's because the only other hand-held console in the world doesn't aim for the same lofty ideas or unobtainable market. Being unique WON'T guarantee it success!

    "You cannot release the same content that you put on the iPhone for a dollar on to NGP or some other consoles and expect people to pay 20 times that."

    But why again?! Just let owners buy whatever they want. It runs Android, for goodness sake! Don't lock it down - allow owners to CHOOSE what games they want to play; free ones, cheap (Android) mobile phone ones or big epics.

    If Sony allow existing PSP customers to convert their UMD games to play on the NGP, allow their already-purchased DLC games to be played (not force them to buy them again), allow Android Market games to be played on it (for .59 pence) and encourage the bigger studios to write their epic titles in parallel, so the NGP can enjoy new episodes or extensions to the big titles as well, a la Uncharted.

    Then that just might make it successful.

    But somehow I doubt Sony have the vision.
    Edited by zedzee at 02/06/11 @ 18:31

  • Steroyd #22 12 months ago

    This coming from the competition it's no surprise that stuff like this is being said.

    However.

    I think Nintendo genuinely have a perception problem with the 3DS, I looked at the back of a 3DS box today, and it had a little table that had a tick next to 3DS compatibility and a X to DSlite and DSi compatibility... either nintendo are planning to forward compatible 3DS titles in the future or they're really worried at how the 3DS could be percieved as being the difference in upgrading from a DS to DSlite to DSi.

    It doesn't help that the naming doesn't really give off the impression that it's a next generation handheld compared to it's predeccessor.

  • The-Bodybuilder #23 12 months ago

    So to sum it up....
    we can't make calls with it, it's too big to fit into pocket, cannot get 59p games as games will instead cost £30.
    And I want this because....

  • Jonny5Alive7 #24 12 months ago

    They're right in a way. Just like the Wii isn't directly in competition with the PS3 and Xbox.

  • Ahskay #25 12 months ago

    You want this because it has dual analoge sticks, a beautifull screen and it's perfectly made to satisfy the Multimedia market. I want it very badly for these reasons. the 3DS didn't add anything new for me and in a sense Sony is right. It really feels like an update to the DS. It's very understandable also, i would do the same as Nintendo. But the Vita is something special. Sony knows it, the developers know it and we will know it soon also. And yes, you will be able to buy things from the suite store wich will feature low-priced games also. Still they need to compete with it because they need to sell this system, meaning they need t push titles that fully utilise the capabilities of the Vita. this means no Angry birds clones allowed as system sellers, they need wipeout, uncharted, killzone, various rpg's,... Plus it's a breeze to develop for it apparantly and even more important, even easier to port games to it. Mass effect on the Vita, yes please.

    edit; I apologize for the typos and sometimes weird sentences, i'm a bit drunk...

    I do want to add one more thing. Developers are making quite a buzz for the Vita and Sony asked and listened to the feedback from them. This alone proves that Sony really is learning from it's mistakes. Rome wasn't build in one day neither but they are improving. If they do the same with the ps4 they will earn even more developers love meaning, and this is a long stretch, more exclusives from third party developers?
    Edited by Ahskay at 02/06/11 @ 19:11

  • el_pollo_diablo #26 12 months ago

    You want it because it has wipeout and uncharted?

    Come on, the games do look lovely.

  • alimokrane #27 12 months ago

    the next generation of handheld gaming doesnt start until we say it does .... it's 2006 all over again..

  • Power_n_Glory #28 12 months ago

    It's like watching Dom Perignon trying to compete with Coca Cola.

    Some things are best enjoyed at home, with friends and company. I don't care if it's top of the range, if it's not convenient, it won't work.

    The PSP was inconvenient for me to carry around. Battery life was short, games cost almost the same as a PS3 and 360 title and I don't see the point in spending that much for 15 - 20 minutes playing time on the train.

    My iPod touch is convenient. I think Sony will have a problem competing against the smartphone and iPod market. They see no competitors but it's like a fine wine maker declaring that they've found a niche in the vending machine market! Good luck to them. Nintendo too. My PSP and DS are gathering dust as I punch this in on my iPod.

  • karooo #29 12 months ago

    Stop falling for the headline, both handhelds dont appeal to the same market.

  • joelstinton #30 12 months ago

    Perceptions of the 3DS failing are shallow. Its been ok, unremarkable but solid. Come the big titles though, and it will gather pace, also there hasn't been a holiday season yet. The 3DS shows with DOA, and SF4 and Resi Mercs, that its got some serious graphical punch behind it to compete with the NGP. Its odd to call out, Its only a DS with 3D when thats the same tech sony are pushing with the PS3, and TV's. Also the DS had an awesome game library with massive market share. It works.

    Still though the NGP looks amazing and i'm pretty much nigh on certain to get one.

  • man.the.king #31 12 months ago

    @CaptainKid

    "Need more ads. I'm still able to read some of the article."

    Firefox with Adblock Plus & NoScript = a nice clean white EG page, with only the meat and none of the fat.

    Edited by man.the.king at 02/06/11 @ 19:22

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #32 12 months ago

    I agree completely with Power_n_Glory. I've got a DS and a PSP and haven't played either for over a year. Pretty much around the same time I got my HTC Desire.

    Whatever the reason, when the wife is watching Eastenders, I much prefer to lay on the sofa playing amazing cheap games like GameDevStory or Angry Birds as opposed to my PSP/DS.

    When I want to play a proper game like Portal 2, I get up and go play it.

  • Utopolitan #33 12 months ago

    Unsurprisingly, Sony keeps selling the "size does matter" angle:

    -"Mine is so big it doesn't even fit in my pants."

    or

    -"So if I do put it in my pocket, will it also get me laid?"
    -"We did tell you it only does everything."

    Pfft.
    Edited by Utopolitan at 02/06/11 @ 20:06

  • omicron1 #34 12 months ago

    Well, Mr. Sony PR Guy, when you can get a full-featured TBS with 200+ hours of gameplay for a dollar on iPhone, or a $7 WoW clone, or a $10 Dead Space rendition, what exactly is your argument for $40 mobile games? What do they have that I can't get for a dollar?

  • NotSoSlim #35 12 months ago

    Just need to nail price. Seriously they get the base model in at the 3ds price they will be onto a winner

  • smelly #36 12 months ago

    PSP2 - an updated PSP...

    i.e. an update of a failed machine... YAY!

  • smelly #37 12 months ago

    >in specification the NGP is many times more powerful

    Says who?

  • RawNinjaKid #38 12 months ago

    It's a shame that the next Story based Resident Evil is on the 3DS!!

    I think Nintendo stole our RE portable exclusive!
    Edited by RawNinjaKid at 02/06/11 @ 20:40

  • BonzoBanana #39 12 months ago

    I seem to remember the PSP launched at about £180 it was state of the art for the time. In fact incredible technology for a handheld and sold well everywhere initially but after that it was an uphilll struggle and each drop in price expanded the userbase considerably until we got to close to 70 million. In Japan the PSP is a massive success but its taken a long time. Could the NGP repeat this scenario where it takes ages to be a significant format? Sony desperately need the NGP to be a huge success.

  • natureboy #40 12 months ago

    Actually Sony is in competition with the Lynx - look at the size of the thing...lol

  • Xardan #41 12 months ago

    Arrogance is no likeable trait.

  • Mister-Wario #42 12 months ago

    "The PSP was inconvenient for me to carry around. Battery life was short, games cost almost the same as a PS3 and 360 title and I don't see the point in spending that much for 15 - 20 minutes playing time on the train".

    It's not that inconvenient to carry around. You can easily fit it in an inner coat pocket or put it in a bag. Furthermore, I've found the battery life on my PSP-1000 to be solid and more often that not DS games are just as expensive as PSP games, if not more. The likes of Mario Kart DS retailed for £30-35 when they came out. I got Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep for about £18 at launch. Moreover, I've noticed DS games generally go for more in shops. I went into Gamestation and games like Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters was going for a fiver, whereas Phantom Hourglass was going for £15. Both were used. Generally, the only time PSP games are expensive now is if they're new, or if they're used and expensive it's usually complex games like LittleBigPlanet or Valkyria Chronicles II.

    I've had my PSP now for a few years, not really used it much for a while, and then having bought a DS and promptly returned it I decided to revisit it for my portable requirements. And you know what? It might not be as popular as the DS but it's an incredibly capable little device that I've thoroughly enjoyed owning. You can do some pretty impressive things with it, it's had a wide range of titles and if you were to go out and get one now you could get a good number of games dirt-cheap. There's nothing wrong with the DS, but personally I found that compared to the PSP it felt somewhat basic.

    I must admit, after seeing what the 3DS is doing I was tempted to get one. Now I'm swinging more over to the NGP side. I don't know what I'll get but Sony haven't really let me down yet, and that will be a big factor in my decision.

    Regarding the article, I'd say that the NGP and 3DS do have some overlap in their audience. I think the 3DS will aim for a younger (wider?) audience but attract plenty of older buyers too. The NGP seems more focussed on the older gamer, which is fine. Ultimately they're both dedicated portable gaming systems. I wish that companies didn't feel the need to slag off their competitors: it just looks petty and insecure. Sell your products on their own merits rather than resulting to cheap smear tactics. Both are good consoles.

  • sh0cked #43 12 months ago

    "too big to fit in your pocket" WTF it's supposed to be portable!? How is that portable?

  • frazzl #44 12 months ago

    Sony should really learn from their PR gaffes. Didn't they say this very same thing about the 360? Didn't they similarly dismiss the DS. They should learn a little humility, especially given recent events!

  • Loghorn #45 12 months ago

    Here they go again...it seems that they haven't learned that arrogance is one of the reasons what caused the PS3's downfall after winning two generations in a row with the PS1 & the PS2. :p

  • NeoTechni #46 12 months ago

    I feel 3DS is like a cross between DS and PSP, and comes out better than DS but worse than PSP. Little things make a big difference, like territorial lockout, lack of a USB port, inability to update the firmware offline, etc

    >Having a stab that the market might be: gamers.

    >Didn't work for PSP.

    Yes it did. Best selling non-Nintendo handheld ever. 8th best selling system ever.

    At 70 million units, only retards and trolls think it failed
    Edited by NeoTechni at 03/06/11 @ 07:32

  • RodHull #47 12 months ago

    @NeoTechni "Best selling non-Nintendo handheld ever"

    The competition for that accolade isn't exactly fierce, is it?

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #48 12 months ago

    Mister-Wario

    Good comment, I dont neccesarily agree with everything you've written but you sound rational, which deserves credit.

  • BabyWuigi #49 12 months ago

    As much as I want an NGP, Sony does need to remember Nintendo has one thing which is guaranteed to sell millions of 3DS's: Pokemon. A full 3D (not stereoscopic), and stereoscopic 3D game will sell by the millions and shift a gazillion 3DS's also. Did Sony also say the NGP can't fit in your pocket? What the hell is the point in it then? I will just play with my PS3 if I can't carry it around with me.

  • BonzoBanana #50 12 months ago

    @smelly

    PSP certainly hasn't failed there are a lot more psp's sold than ps3s or Xbox 360s even if it hasn't reached the fantastic sales level of the DS series. Also with no effort at all the information about the NGP specification vs 3DS clearly shows a massive difference. 4 core later arm architecture at at least 1ghz vs older series dual core arm 11 at 266mhz. In gpu terms its even more of a slaughter. The 3DS is more a PSP level console in some ways better in some ways worse. The NGP is somewhere between original xbox and Xbox 360 in performance but its very easy to develop for and the powervr chipsets are great for pushing to the very limit as tile based rendering helps prevent low frame rates, same was true of the dreamcast and Nintendo DS.

  • Phishfood #51 12 months ago

    Whether it succeeds as a gaming platform is one thing, whether it succeeds commercially is another.

    I think the specs of the machine will ensure the former while the price will halt the latter.
    Edited by Phishfood at 04/06/11 @ 23:03